


To Oz

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-13
Updated: 2006-03-13
Packaged: 2019-02-02 13:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12727629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: SG-1 is seperated on a planet resembling Oz.  When Carter is left behind she must struggle to survive the strange experiments of the strange creatures while her team searches for her.





	To Oz

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

  
Author's notes: My first fic. I had a great time writing it, hope you enjoy.  


* * *

Chapter One

"Now, this is what I'm talking about." Colonel Jack O'Neill raised his arms triumphantly as he and his team stepped through the gate onto P4X-985. It was warm and sunny with a gentle breeze. There were trees everywhere, but not like any he had ever seen. The trunks were a deep shade of purple and the foliage, assuming that's what it was, was every color of the rainbow. "Carter," he said looking back at his Second In Command.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," he said, motioning to the trees and the path about twenty meters ahead. It was made of some type of stone, yellow stone. Jack couldn't wipe the grin off his face. They had actually gone over the rainbow and found Oz.

"Have you ever been to Kansas, Jack?" Daniel said from behind.

"No, Daniel, I haven't. But I have been to hell," O'Neill said with a pause and a wink, then added, "and back. Teal'c keep an eye out for flying monkeys, little guys with lollipops, and green ladies on broomsticks."

"O'Neill, I do not believe we will encounter those beings. The MALP did not show any signs of habitation on this world." Teal'c said suspiciously.

"Humor me, will ya?" replied Jack.

"Please don't," Daniel said as he helped Carter prepare to send the MALP back to Earth. Jack ignored him, as usual.

"Which way Carter?" asked O'Neill.

"Well, Sir, we don't really have a set mission, other than to check the place out," responded Carter as she returned from the gate. O'Neill frowned and she could tell that wasn't the answer he wanted. What the heck, she could humor him for one mission. "Follow the yellow brick road, Sir?"

"See. Now, Carter is in the spirit of things. She gets candy," he said as he tossed her a Snickers bar from his pocket. Sam smiled and shrugged at Daniel, who looked hurt.

"You never said we got candy if we were nice to you." Stated Daniel. "If I had known that our relationship would have been entirely different."

"Indeed," Teal'c commented, looking equally disappointed. Sam had to laugh, but she made no attempt to share her reward.

"Lead on, Dorothy." Jack adjusted his cap and didn't see as Sam rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long day.

They'd been walking down the stone road for over an hour. No sign of life- animal or otherwise. It was almost like a vacation, one that they all desperately needed. "Jack," Daniel said. "It's not that I'm not thrilled that you found Oz and all, but would you please hum something besides 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road' for a while." Jack stopped suddenly, not even realizing he was humming. Sam caught his eye and smiled.

"I'm sorry, Daniel, I didn't know my happiness bothered you so much." Jack walked past him, feigning insult, and began humming "If I Only Had a Brain."

"Well at least that one's more appropriate," Daniel whispered to Sam, who stifled a giggle. Teal'c moved ahead of them taking point for a while. 

"Subtle." Said Daniel.

"What do you mean?" Sam looked up at Daniel, genuinely confused at his comment.

"He's out of ear shot." They both laughed and kept walking, keeping pace with Jack's serenades.

Teal'c returned about two minutes later. Jack had stopped humming and the suns were beginning to go down. "O'Neill, I believe we should set up camp. There is a viable area ahead."

"Lead on Toto." O'Neill said to Teal'c. Teal'c raised an eyebrow and gave Jack a look that told him to back off. He cleared his throat, walking past the Jaffa, and began setting up camp.

"Sir? Something on your mind?" asked Carter. O'Neill was obviously deep in thought and for that reason alone, Sam was curious.

"I know you guys are tired of my Wizard of Oz analogies..." O'Neill received a:

"Yup." From Daniel.

"A little." From Carter.

"Indeed." From Teal'c.

Jack glared at them all and said, "Forget it. I was going to say something nice and sentimental, but all of you just ruined it."

"Proceed, O'Neill." Responded Teal'c.

"Thank you, Teal'c. I was going to say, that if you think about it, we are kind of like the characters in the movie."

"Oh boy, here we go. Sam, please knock me out." Daniel said as he reached over her to get the coffee pot. Sam smacked him lightly on the back of the head.

Again, Jack ignored him and continued saying:

"We have the brains," he gestured towards Carter, who blushed. "We've got the courage," nodding towards Teal'c, who nodded back in recognition. "And we have the heart...less," he glared at Daniel and hissed the last syllable out.

"That would make you the farm girl, O'Neill." Stated Teal'c without missing a beat. 

They were stunned. Teal'c had made a joke. A damn good one at that. A few seconds went by in total silence, then everyone let lose. Carter choked on her candy bar, coffee came out of Daniel's nose, and even Teal'c cracked a smile and said, "I will take first watch, O'Neill."

"After that, Teal'c, you should take all watches." Jack shot back at him.

Teal'c took his position at the head of the camp. Daniel, Jack, and Sam crawled into their sleeping bags. They hadn't bothered to pitch the tents. It was as beautiful a night as it had been a beautiful day, and they all had missed being able to sleep under the stars.

"Carter." Jack used his best commander voice.

"Yes, Sir." 

"Stop giggling." 

"Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir." She said; but she wasn't sorry and she couldn't stop.

Jack smiled and thought this mission was too good to be true as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Chapter 2

* * *

They had been ambushed. It was that simple. These people knew the meaning of stealth. They would have to know stealth in order to get past Teal'c's guard. There was no rustle of leaves or snapping twigs. Just the stun grenade exploding! Teal'c had collapsed instantly; the rest of them never woke up. The ground was hard. That was the first thing that Jack noticed. Not that their bedrolls were soft, but they were a hell of a lot softer than the rocks he was now lying on. Everything was dark. He kicked his legs out, making contact with something soft and instantly hearing a faint groan. Teal'c didn't groan. Carter would have kicked him back. So by process of elimination, "Daniel?" Jack asked.

"Jack," Daniel's, voice straining, "Where are we?" 

"I was hoping you could tell me. Can you see anything?" Jack knew he probably couldn't, but it was worth a shot. You never know when that ascended ancient stuff might have given Daniel super powers or something.

"No, nothing. Ouch!" Daniel replied as he shifted to a sitting position, in the process bumping his head on the low ceiling. 

"Teal'c!" called Jack.

"I am here, O'Neill. I believe we were attacked by a Goa'uld stun grenade." Teal'c said.

"Ya think!" replied O'Neill. Leave it to Teal'c to state the obvious.

"Carter, I thought you said there weren't any Goa'uld on this planet. Carter?" O'Neill called. He got no reply. O'Neill started reaching around the small room, grabbing at things that might belong to his Second in Command. First he found Teal'c's leg, (too big). He then rolled over to reach behind him, kicking Daniel, again. Daniel groaned, but this time it was stronger and angrier.

"Jack, would you stop that already!" Daniel added to his groan. He got no apology, but wasn't expecting one. 

"Sam!" They all began to call, feeling around the room, which barely held the three of them. There was definitely no Carter. Daniel said despairingly, "She was sleeping between us Jack. They would have had to grabbed her, too."

"I know that, Daniel, but if they grabbed her, then where-" Jack was cut off by the sound of grinding metal to his left. There was a soft moan just before something was thrown across his lap. The room shook, as the door was slammed shut. Dirt and gravel fell from above their heads. The creatures outside were talking to one another in hushed tones. Their voices growing fainter as they walked away from the cell. The three of them were left, again, in silence. Jack reached down, still more or less blinded from the blast, but his fingers knew the feel of a combat vest. "Carter!" Jack gasped. He pulled on the shoulder straps of her vest bringing her upright. Behind him he heard Daniel and Teal'c moving closer. "Carter!" He shouted this time. Shaking her hard. He could see the outline of her head and shoulders. She wasn't moving.

"My vision is returning," Teal'c said from somewhere in front of him. For a big guy he sure moved quickly. It was only seconds ago that he was on the other side of whatever they were in and now he was at the door trying to pry the bars apart.

"Mine too," Daniel chimed in, still behind Jack and leaning against the wall. "Is she alright?"

"She does not appear to be conscious yet, Daniel Jackson." Replied Teal'c.

Jack didn't hear their conversation. He was focusing on the blurry images in front of his face. Fighting off the flashbacks of the last time Carter was thrown back into a cage at Nirti's little shop of horrors. "Carter!" Jack yelled as he shook her again. This time she gripped his forearms.

"Stop." Sighed Sam, barely able to speak. It was weak, and Jack wasn't exactly sure she had even said it. He stopped shaking her and she fell forward onto his chest. Daniel's hands went quickly around her waist, guiding her to her back and down to the floor. He looked at Jack, and then down at Sam. She didn't look hurt. There were no bruises or cuts that they could see. Her clothes were all still on and even clean, except for the dirt floor she was now lying on.

"What do you think they did to her?" Daniel asked. "And why didn't they do it to us?"

"I have no idea, Daniel. And we don't know that they didn't." Jack responded.

The room was dark--a cave of some sorts. The dirt floor was damp; the ceiling was made of rock. Daniel hadn't stopped sneezing in over an hour, only occasionally stopping to interject some theory of who these creatures were. Cave dwellers, Daniel had thought, possibly a primitive human race that, for whatever reason, had never evolved. A lesser Goa'uld. Yes, that would explain the weapons. Jack was trying to look like he was listening. Teal'c was still attempting to break down the door by prying the bars apart or by digging underneath-the man was nothing if not persistent.

"Sir." The voice from the floor made everything stop, except Daniel's sneezing. Sam started to sit up slowly. Her head was throbbing and the room was spinning. O'Neill managed to lean forward enough to grab her arm and help her upright.

"Jack, watch her...(sneeze)-" Daniel tried to warn him.

"Ouch!" Sam cried out, leaning back into O'Neill after smacking her head on the rocks above. "So I guess we're in a cell, a small cell?" She shifted herself so that she was leaning against the wall, between O'Neill and Daniel. Teal'c remained by the door. "What happened?" She asked.

"Oh, the usual." Answered Daniel. 

"We went to sleep on a peaceful, uninhabited planet and we woke up in a prison cell, guarded by unknown creatures with mysterious weaponry and no clear motive?" Said Sam sarcastically. 

"Yeah, that about sums it up. You took a little field trip though." Added O'Neill.

"Really? Where did I go?" Sam asked eagerly.

There was no longer enough light for Jack to see her face, but he could tell she had been drugged. Her speech was slurred and she was sounding a little to perky for their current situation.

"Don't know. They brought you to us about an hour ago. You've been out ever since." O'Neill explained.

Sam felt her arms, legs, stomach, and then head. "Everything is still attached, Sir."

"I can see that, Carter, thank you." O'Neill said amused. So this is what Carter is like drunk. Part of him wished he had his video camera.

"Who are they?" Carter asked.

"What?" responded O'Neill- thinking Carter really wasn't making sense at this time.

"You said 'They brought you back'. Who are they?" Carter asked again.

"Don't know. Ozians, I guess. Gotta call 'em something right?" O'Neill answered.

"Have you met the wizard yet, Sir?" Carter said looking at O'Neill.

"Nope, no one but the guys that brought you in here, and we didn't see them." 

Sam huffed; thoroughly annoyed with the lack of information she was getting from her Commanding Officer. She was tired. The room was still spinning. Something had happened to her, but no one knew what that something was, and at the moment her head was too cloudy for her to care. "Sir." Carter yawned. " Wake me up when you know something." She leaned to the left and flopped heavily against Daniel's shoulder. He sneezed again, and she shot him the how-dare- you-disturb-me look.

"Sorry, Sam. Aller-" Daniel sneezed again. Sam sighed and flung herself to the right, taking O'Neill's shoulder as her pillow instead.

"It would appear, Major Carter has been drugged," Teal'c observed as he looked back at them from the cell door. Jack and Daniel stared at him in disbelief. Yep, thought Jack, Teal'c had a knack for stating the obvious.

* * *

General George Hammond walked into the control room of the SGC. "Has SG-1 reported in yet?" he asked.

"Not yet, Sir," Walter answered from his permanent seat at the control panel. 

"Dial P4X-985. Let's see if we can get in touch with them." Hammond sighed and rubbed his head. Just once he wished that SG-1 would have a routine mission, just once!

"Worm whole established, Sir." Walter informed him.

"SG-1, this is Hammond. Do you read?"

* * *

"SG-1, come in." The creature held the radio in his large hands, turning it over and over. Staring at it curiously. More of them came over. They passed if from one to another, each inspecting it inquisitively. "SG-1, what is your situation?" The creature now in possession of the radio walked away from the group, the others followed.

"Shut it down, Sergeant. Get the UAV ready to launch. I'll go call the President." Order General Hammond. Just once! Just once a normal day! He rubbed his head against the on-coming migraine.

"O'Neill, they are returning." Warned Teal'c.

"Carter, get up." O'Neill said as he lifted his shoulder once, twice.

"Hmmm." Was the only response he received from Carter.

"Oh, for crying out loud." Jack mumbled to Daniel. "Catch." He pushed Carter off his shoulder and she fell across Daniel's lap.

"I'm up, I'm up. Sorry, Sir, still groggy." Carter said as she tried to sit up. Daniel, helped her upright as the door to their cell opened.

"SG-1." The creature said, holding up the radio. He looked strangely proud, like he had just solved a mystery. His green skin was smooth; his yellow eyes alert. He gestured for them to follow. His hands were entirely out of proportion to the rest of his body.

"Where we going?" Jack asked suspiciously. But the creature only smiled and continued making movements with his hand.

"I think he wants us to follow him, Jack." Suggested Daniel.

"Ya, think, Daniel? I'm just not sure I wanna go wherever he's going." Responded Jack.

"It's has to be better than this, Sir." Carter said.

"So, you're making sense now, are you Carter?" asked O'Neill.

"Sir?" Carter said looking at him strangely.

"Nevermind. Okay, lets go see the wizard." O'Neill commanded his team.

The creature was still smiling and looking at them curiously. "SG- 1." The creature said again. And again he motioned for them to follow. They crawled, one at a time, out of the cell. The cavernthey entered was enormous. There were tunnels going off in every direction and the ceiling was quite high. Jack guessed they were at least ten stories underground. The creature motioned again, and SG-1 stiffly followed him. Carter had to lean slightly on Daniel, her muscles still not quite responding as well as they should. They had been walking for quite a while, their escort turning around every few minutes to make sure they were still behind him. Jack couldn't help but think his team looked like some kind of orphaned pets, the kind you would bring home to Mom and Dad. He really hoped that the Ozians didn't want to keep them. They came to a stop just inside the entrance to the enormous cave. The creatures came from all directions, surrounding them.

"Ah, Jack." Daniel started to say. 

"Talk to them, Daniel, this is your specialty." Jack suggested.

Daniel walked toward their escort, or at least whom he thought was their escort. He thought the Asgard looked alike, but these guys had to be clones. "Hello. My name is-" Daniel started to say.

"SG-1." The creature replied. 

"Yes, um, yes, we are SG-1. We're from a planet called-" Daniel tried to explain.

"SG-1." The creatures all echoed in response. They came closer, encircling them.

"This does not seem to be working, Daniel Jackson." Said Teal'c stating the obvious.

The team stood shoulder to shoulder, each facing a different direction. It was a tactical defense that they assumed naturally. They had no weapons, and were outnumbered at least twenty to one.

"Any ideas?" O'Neill asked as he backed up, tightening their circle. "Anyone? Don't be shy." 

Suddenly the mob of creatures started to move. SG-1 was forced to move with them. The team knew they were now outside of the caves and walking in the middle of the Ozians, but none of them could see their surroundings.

"Sir," Carter said, pointing to the ground. They were on the yellow brick road. "Maybe they're taking us back to the gate.

"Always the optimist, Carter." Said O'Neill.

"Always, Sir." Affirmed Carter with a smile.

"She might be right, Jack. I mean they've had plenty of chances to kill us, if that's what they wanted to do." Said Daniel.

"O'Neill, the Stargate." Teal'c observed. 

"Well then. Carter, click your heals. Lets go home." Ordered O'Neill.

"I thought you were Dorothy, Sir." Answered Carter, again with a smile.

Jack winced. He was never going to live that down.

Without warning the Ozians stopped. The circle of creatures started to split into two groups. SG-1 team remained in the center, ready to make a break for it. The creature in front of them, perhaps the leader, began speaking. The other's joined in, hundreds of voices repeating the same phrase over and over.

"Any ideas, Daniel?" Jack asked while resisting the urge to cover his ears.

"It's nothing I've ever heard before." Daniel answered.

"This reminds me of the inhabitants of PJ2-445, O'Neill." Teal'c said.

"That's nice, Teal'c." Jack shouted above the chorus that was growing louder and louder. "Carter, who did we meet on PJ2-445?"

"Little bald white guys, Sir." Carter answered. O'Neill still looked confused. Carter continued. "Big pink flowers, we almost killed them all with the UAV," annoyance was creeping into her voice. The man couldn't remember anything.

"I remembered, Carter. I just wanted to see if you did." Said O'Neill while looking right then left. They had to be clones, they were all exactly the same, and all spoke with the same tone.

"Sir!" Carter screamed.

O'Neill turned suddenly when Carter screamed. Carter didn't scream. The left half of the Ozians had completely surrounded her. The right column began slowly driving Daniel, Teal'c, and himself toward the active Stargate. He could no longer see or hear her. Carter was buried deep within the mob. The chanting continued. "Major Carter!" Yelled Teal'c, as he lunged at the creatures, knocking four of them down, but before he got to his feet, five more of them had begun dragging them closer to the gate. There was nothing they could do.

"Carter!" Yelled O'Neill over the chanting. "Hang on!" The words echoed in her head as she was pulled away from them. "We'll be back!" O'Neill kept shouting over the mob. "No one gets left behind!" All Carter could do was nod. She knew he couldn't see her, the Ozians (O'Neill's term-- that's all she had to call them), had her completely surrounded, but she hoped he knew that she heard; that she would hold on to his words. Those words would be all she had left to hold on to for many days to come.

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

The Ozian Sea parted, giving Major Samantha Carter visual access to the Stargate. Her team was gone. She stared at the symbols on the DHD, but didn't recognize them. At least they hadn't been sent to Earth, which gave her some relief. There was a chance they were still alive. "We'll be back," Colonel O'Neill had said and she believed him. What choice did she have but to believe? They had never left a man behind, no reason to start now. She was rational, however, too rational she knew they would all agree, but still. Sam was well aware that her chances of a timely rescue were slim to none. The rest of SG-1 had been sent God knows where into God knows what. The odds of them getting back to Earth quickly enough to mount a rescue mission were astronomical. Then, again, their odds always were. With thoughts racing through her head, Sam barely noticed that the wormhole had disengaged. She did, though, immediately recognize the sound of another one forming. Someone was dialing this gate! The Ozians reacted instantly: her line of vision disappeared into a blur of green faces and yellow eyes, her body carried along as the mob moved in front of the tree line. The once chanting aliens were now silent. Sam heard nothing but the hum of the gate, and the racing of her own heart. Then she heard something else, familiar, she saw it: the UAV. Sam got to her feet, pulling off her cap, hoping against hope that her single blonde head would be noticeable among the green mass. The plane passed her by. She was pulled to her knees, by one of the aliens behind her.

"SG-1, this is General Hammond. Do you read?" The radio, thought Sam. They still had the radio. "SG-1, respond!" She turned toward the sound of her General's familiar voice, and then she saw it. One of them was turning it over and over in his hands. There was no getting to it; she realized that, four layers of aliens stood between her and the radio. She had one shot at this, she knew, and only hoped that in his inspection the creature was activating the communication link.

"General!" yelled Sam at the top of her lungs. "Twenty meters Northwest of Gate. Surrounded, Sir! Green creatures. SG-1 sent to another site. Location unknown!" That was it, a hand covered her face, and three more pulled her to the ground. She fought. "Caves!" She cried out. They pinned her down again, into silence. Her face was now planted in the yellow gravel of the road. There was something wet on the back of her neck, then the smell. She remembered. Everything went black.

* * *

"SG-1, this is General Hammond. Do you read?" General Hammond stood in front of the microphone staring at the images being transmitted by the UAV. "SG-1, respond!" He ordered.

"...Twenty me-...gate...green creat-...caves..." was all he heard.

"Major Carter, you're breaking up. Do you copy? Major Carter?" General Hammond said turning to Sergeant Walter Davis. "Sergeant, can you get a fix on her location?" He asked.

"Negative, Sir," Replied Walter. The technician's fingers were already flying over the keyboard of the control panel. "The transmission was too short."

"Keep it in the air, son. Twenty meter perimeter around the Stargate." Ordered General Hammond knowing that something was wrong.

"Yes, Sir." Answered Walter while skillfully maneuvering the UAV to reveal trees of every color, a yellow path-leading West, and a mass of green foliage in between.

"Sergeant, fly it back over that green area again." Ordered General Hammond.

"Yes, Sir. Affirmed Walter as he switched from UAV to infrared. What the-" The green mass now glowed a deep red. Walter shook his head in disbelief. Attempting to fly lower, Sir." Walter re-positioned the plane while General Hammond took the seat to his right, his eyes set on the monitor, until it went black.

"What the hell happened?" Questioned General Hammond as he jumped to his feet, causing everyone in the control room to react in kind.

"I don't know, Sir. We just lost the signal. Wormhole has disengaged." Replied Walter, reluctantly. He shook his head trying to clear it and make sense of what was going on. His fingers frantically redialing the planet's address.

"Get it back! I want to know what the hell that thing was and what it did with my people!" Ordered General Hammond.

"Yes, Sir. Sir! Incoming wormhole." Informed Walter.

* * *

Colonel O'Neill was thrown from the wormhole, his eyes tightly shut, expecting to slam into the iris at any minute. He wondered what if would feel like, if he would feel it at all. He suspected not. Carter had told him about it once, but he had tuned her out after 'demolecularized'. Under the circumstances, he wished he had listened to her more. 

"Argh!" said O'Neill as he slammed into something hard. But it wasn't the iris. It was Daniel. "Jack!" groaned Daniel from underneath him, "I swear to God and whatever else is out there, if you hit me one more time I'm going to-"

"Where the hell are we?" asked O'Neill. Completely ignoring Daniel's threats, Jack got to his feet. "Thanks for breaking my fall, Danny boy. The knees you know." He extended his hand to Daniel and pulled him to his feet. "Teal'c, any idea where here is?"

"I did not see the symbols during our separation from Major Carter, O'Neill. However, I do believe that the same creatures inhabit his world." Answered Teal'c.

"Why would you assume that?" Asked Daniel as he approached Teal'c, rubbing his hip where he had fallen. "I mean the planet doesn't look like Oz. Not that they would be exact duplicates, but there is no vegetation here of any kind." He gestured out in front of him and beyond the gate. As far as they could see there was nothing but red clay.

"Are those not the Ozians, DanielJackson?" Teal'c pointed in the opposite direction that Daniel and Jack were facing. Both men turned simultaneously.

"Yep," confirmed Jack. "And that's our gear." The men headed left towards the organized piles of SG-1's gear. 

"Three P-90s, three zats, and three canteens. Is anyone noticing a pattern here?" Observed Daniel as he inspected the rest of the gear. "Jack, its all organized. There's three of everything here. Oh, god."

"What is it, DanielJackson?" Questioned Teal'c. The Jaffa had his eyes on the approaching aliens.

"There is three of everything," Daniel said staring at Jack. "There are three of us."

"Nope." Answered Jack quickly, dismissing any theory that Daniel might be concocting. "There's none of us. Dial Earth, Daniel. I don't wanna be here when they get to the bottom of that hill." He pushed the younger man toward the DHD and turned back to their gear. Picking up a gun and a remote transmitter, he headed back toward the gate. Daniel was dialing, but shaking his head and saying, "We can't just leave, Jack. This means something. They kept one of everything. That can't be a coincidence. They must-"

O'Neill cut him off. "They kept ONE of my team, Daniel!" he yelled in his friend's face. "They kept one of us. I don't care who they are or what they want, THAT doesn't happen. WE don't leave people behind. Now activate that gate!" Daniel did as he was told, visibly shaken by Jack's words. He didn't blame him for being mad. Of course they had kept one of them; they had kept Sam. He just hated Jack blindly assumed that every species they encountered was evil. "Let's go!" Jack yelled to Teal'c and Daniel as he entered their IDC. The speed of the mob increased at the wormhole's activation, though they remained silent. One of them broke from the group and headed straight for Teal'c. "T lets move!" Yelled O'Neill. The Jaffa resigned his guard position, just as the Ozians reached the bottom of the hill. The lone Ozian reached the gate in seconds, but it was too late. SG-1 was already gone.

* * *

"Receiving IDC, Sir, it's SG-1," informed Walter.

"Well, it's about damn time. Open the iris." General Hammond said as he stormed out of the control room and headed for the gate. Daniel came through the gate, followed by Teal'c, then O'Neill. 

"Colonel O'Neill, what the hell is going on? Where did you-"? General Hammond began.

"Sir," O'Neill cut him off, running down the ramp. "Dial P4X-985, I need SG Teams 3,5,7, and 12 geared up and ready to go now!"

"Hold on, son." Replied General Hammond. " As far as I can tell the Stargate was being guarded by some unknown life form. I can't let you go back and risk more of my men to an ambush. Not until I know what we're dealing with. Now, where did you come from? We had the UAV in air on P4X-985 and you weren't there."

"Sir," answered O'Neil. "We don't have time for this. That unknown life form is over a hundred big-handed, green, slimy alinens and they've got Carter."

"Did you see her, General?" Asked Daniel, coming down the ramp. "Were you able to see, Sam?" General Hammond couldn't help but hear the concern in the Doctor's voice. He shared it. But the truth of the matter was he could not lose more good people to a possible suicide rescue mission-even if it was for Major Carter. He had known her since she was a child, and knew her well enough to be sure she would understand military protocol and reasoning.

"General Hammond," Teal'c joined them at the bottom of the ramp. "I believe DanielJackson has a theory that they only wished to keep Major Carter. We may not be in danger if we return." 

"When we return," O'Neill interrupted. "General, we're wasting time. God knows what they want with her." 

"Dr. Jackson? What's this theory?" Asked General Hammond.

"Well, Sir," began Daniel "it's not much of a theory, but I believe they may be collectors of some sort. They had all of our gear on the second planet they sent us to. It was categorized and organized--all in threes." General Hammond looked confused. "They, uh, kept one of everything, Sir."

"And they kept one of SG-1. I see, Doctor, and I'll take that into consideration when deciding to mount a rescue mission. In the mean time, report to the infirmary." General Hammond ordered. 

"General!" exclaimed O'Neill, "You can't be serious!"

"That's an order, Colonel. Don't make me repeat it." General Hammond commanded.

O'Neill turned on his heals and headed out of the gateroom without looking back. Teal'c nodded at General Hammond and silently made his way out as well. Daniel remained. "General," He began. His voice was calm, but full of concern for their missing team member. "When we woke up in the caves, Sam wasn't with us. She didn't seem hurt when they brought her back, but she was pretty out of it."

"You mean she was drugged?" General Hammond asked.

"Yes, Sir. Look, you know I'm not for barging in on other's customs, but we have no way of knowing what they did to her, or what their going to do. I'm with Jack, Sir. We have to go back." Insisted Daniel. With that said he left, leaving General Hammond alone in the gateroom.

* * *

Chapter 4

* * *

Major Samantha Carter was starting to wake up. Her eyes opened slowly, expecting the darkness of the caves. Instead she was blinded by artificial light. Instinctively, Sam raised her arms to cover her face. That's when she noticed that her arms were bare and she was lying on cold metal. She sat up quickly. Too quickly, almost falling off the table she had been lying on. This couldn't have been the same structure she was imprisoned in with SG-1. The machinery before her was unlike any technology she had ever seen. And there, amongst monitors and other small instruments (whose purpose she could only guess), were her clothes neatly folded in a pile. She pulled her legs up to her chest, allowing her head to rest momentarily on her knees. When she was sure she could get up without falling, she eased herself off the table and toward the single exit.

Major Carter took over then: secure the perimeter, assess the threat, weigh the odds, then get dressed. She stared out into the cavern. She was several meters above the area SG-1 had been brought through The Ozians were now gathered there She leaned against the wall, breathlessly listening but she couldn't hear a sound. They must be telepathic, Carter concluded. Taking one last look, she retreated back into what she assumed was a lab and retrieved her clothing. 'Okay,' she said to herself. 'Lets see what you guys are up too.' Once dressed, Sam turned her attention to the objects in front of her. They were large, heavy, and difficult for her to manage. But she imagined they were just the right size for her little friends down there. She touched one of the monitors, jumping back when it lit up. She risked a quick look back to make sure she hadn't drawn any attention to herself, then returned to the images being played back on the screen. She was horrified, but couldn't look away.

Carter stood, paralyzed. What did they do to her? There must be a recording device positioned above the table she had woken up on, but she didn't make any attempt to discern its location. They were, what, examining her? Five of them; silent as usual: poking, pulling, and rubbing her body with their giant hands. One of then had, in his hand, the round instrument in front of her. She watched as he ran it over her arm, revealing the bone underneath. The soldier in her grew cautious; the scientist grew curious; the woman-there was no time for her. She picked up the object, hefted it on one had, held it over the other. Nothing happened; she returned her attention to the screen.

* * *

"Damnit!" Yelled Colonel Jack O'Neill, slamming his fist into the locker. Teal'c leaned on the wall, eyebrow raised. Dr. Daniel Jackson was flopped on the bench, letting his head fall into his hands. "I don't believe this! Somebody should check the man's neck for Goa'uld activity.. This is insane. We should be out there, right now, bringing her back." The locker took another hit, then another and another until Jack's knuckles were bloody and Teal'c was forced to step in and pin Jack to the wall.

"This is not helping her, O'Neill." Said Teal'c evenly as he held a defiant Jack in place with one hand.

"Exactly, Teal'c. This," he motioned to their surrounding, "is definitely not helping her."

"Are you not confident in Major Carter's abilities, O'Neill?" It was a fair question. Teal'c had often times referred to their comrade as a capable warrior, and that she was. But being able to survive in battle and having to survive her current situation where two very different things thought Jack.

"She's tough, Jack." offered Daniel. She was able to survived being hunted by Anubis's super soldier without any weapons. And how long was she alone on the Prometheus, with a massive concussion, before she was able to rescue the entire crew?

"Four days" answered Jack quietly. She was out there for four days. And on the Alpha Site, she was out of options. If we hadn't spotted her at the exact moment we did..." his voice trailed off. "We don't leave people behind."

"We're not leaving her behind, Jack. She knows that. She knows we'll do whatever we possible can to get to her. Just like she always has for us."

"That is true, O'Neill. Major Carter did not rest until you were rescued from Ba'll, or until you were retrieved from your captivity with Colonel Mayborne." Added Teal'c.

"And then there was the whole Edora thing." Added Daniel.

Jack laughed. "You know something, Danny boy? When you were stuck on that planet with the fish from Babylon," he sighed and rubbed his temples. "Well she figured it out. She let Doctor McKenzie mess with her head until she remembered what really happened to you. As soon as she did, General Hammond sent us back through to get you."

"I didn't know that." Replied Daniel.

"Yeah, well, now you do. The point is you weren't even military and we didn't even know each other very well back then. How long ago was that anyway?" asked Jack.

"Approximately eight years, O'Neill." Answered Teal'c.

"Eight years. Do you realize how much has happened in eight years?" Jack asked them both.

"A great deal, O'Neill." Teal'c answered again. 

"So, why won't Hammond let us go back? And don't tell me it's different because it's not." Lamented Jack.

"It is though." Daniel said. 

"Daniel, what did I just say?" Jack asked again.

"Jack, it is. Everything's different." Daniel tried to explain.

"So what now? If Hammond won't give the order to return to Oz do we storm the gate?" laughed Jack, sarcastically. 

"We have done it before, O'Neill." Teal'c responded matter-of- factly. This time it was Jack's turn to raise an eyebrow.

* * *

Sam made her way out of the lab, wanting to know just what was the purpose of this place. The procedures, which are what she was calling what the Ozians had done to her, had only heightened her resolve to get out of her current predicament. She had no idea how long it had been since she was separated from her team. But she knew by now, if there was going to be a rescue mission, she would already be in the SGC Sick Bay being poked at by Dr. Janet Frasier. Her feet ached from walking barefoot across the rocky cavern floor, but she wasn't going to risk stomping around in combat boots. These creatures could move quietly; so could she. Two levels up from the lab, she saw more artificial light radiating in the distance. Entering the room with the light, she again made sure she was alone before taking in everything before her. It was like a museum. The walls of the room were covered, floor to ceiling, with everything from Goa'uld weapons to dinner forks. If she had to be honest with herself, it reminded her of Daniel's house. The thought made her smile. She missed her guys, but now wasn't the time to get sentimental.   
She continued down the wall, mentally cataloging anything she might be able to use to get out of there. Most of the items she had never seen before and now wasn't the best time to be experimenting with alien technology, however tempting. She was walking back out of the room, inspecting the other side, when she stopped suddenly. The items in front of her were familiar, very familiar. They were hers. Her radio, canteen, vest, and...Oh god, even her half-eaten Snickers bar. She ripped it from the wall and devoured it, not realizing how hungry she had been until food was available. Just as she swallowed the last of it, the room filled with Ozians. "Idiot," she thought to herself. She must have set off some type of alarm. They surrounded her. "Wait!" her voice was strained from lack of water. "Wait," she said again, stronger this time, but received no response from the creatures. "What do you want with me? What's going on? Wait!" It was no use. She wasn't the linguist Daniel was, but then again they never said anything to her that she had to try to interpret. Carter was brought back to her original cell and left alone in the silence.

* * *

It had been eleven hours since they had been back on Earth, approximately seventeen since they had been first separated on Oz. Colonel O'Neill waited until the night watch began at 010, and then he made his move. There was only Walter and one other technician in the control room. He stunned both of them with his Zat before they had a chance to turn around. He then headed to the keyboard, locked everything down, and started dialing P4X-985. It seemed like it took forever before he heard the gate begin to engage. No wonder he always had Carter do the illegal, hacking stuff. She definitely could type a helluva lot faster.

The wormhole finally opened. Jack grabbed his gear and headed down to the gateroom, not bothering to look back at the unconscious men he had left on the floor. They'd be fine. It wasn't their first Zat blast. Hell it wasn't even the first time he had shot them.

"Hello, Jack." Daniel was sitting on the edge of the gate ramp.

How the hell had he gotten in here? Jack asked himself. He didn't know and at the moment he didn't care.

"Daniel." Jack looking at him waiting for an explanation.

"Jack." Replied Daniel not offering one. He was geared up and ready to go, wearing the same black pants and sweater that Jack wore. 

"Daniel." Jack just shook his head. We really do dress alike, he thought, but now wasn't the time for that conversation. He had a job to do. A job that would no doubt end his military career, if not his life. He couldn't let Daniel take that risk.

"I'm going with you." Daniel stated.

"No you're not." Jack insisted.

"Yes, I am." Daniel stated again.

"No, you're not." Jack said holding his ground.

"Yes, I am" Now it was Daniel's turn to hold his ground.

"As am I, O'Neill." Said Teal'c as he emerged from the corner of the room. They had both been waiting for him. They knew he wouldn't take Hammond's order sitting down.

"Jack" Daniel's turn to continue the back and forth debate.

"Daniel" Jack's turn.

"It's Sam." Daniel finally said and that said it all. 

"I know that Major Carter would want to aid in our rescue," added Teal'c.

"Well I wouldn't let her go either." Insisted Jack.

"You would not be able to stop her." Teal'c said as he grabbed his staff weapon and started up the ramp.

"Jack." Said Daniel still waiting patiently for his friend to give in, although now he stood next to Teal'c at the top of the ramp. Now it was they who were ready to embark without him.

"Teal'c, Daniel ." nodded Jack as he joined them on the ramp.

Jack stood there and looked at them. Here was his SG-1 team minus one. He didn't want to risk them, but he needed their help and he wasn't going to be too proud or too stupid not to take it. General Hammond had been right, to a point. They had no idea what the aliens wanted or what they would do to get it. It wasn't only his life he was gambling with on this mission. If he didn't take the two of them with him for backup, it was Carter's life too. And Teal'c was right. If it had been anyone of them, she would have been the first one through the gate. She needed their help. All their help--all of SG-1. Not just the help of Colonel Jack O'Neill, self-proclaimed super hero. He picked up his pack and his gun and walked toward the glowing gate. Daniel and Teal'c stood in front of the wormhole, staring down at him. The doors to the corridor were being pried open; he turned to face his team, his friends, "Let's move out." And with that order they went through the gate to rescue Sam.

The doors were opened and half a dozen armed airmen stormed into the empty gate room followed by a somber looking General Hammond. The wormhole disengaged and everyone was silent. "Stand down," General Hammond ordered and the men left the room. As he turned to follow, he quietly added, "Bring her home, SG-1."

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

Major Samantha Carter regained consciousness back in cell. It was the same cell that SG-1 was in before the rest of her team returned through the Stargate. Although now, with only one person in it, the space seemed much larger. There was still enough light coming through the cracks in the wall for her to make out Teal'c's massive shoe prints by the door and the pile of Kleenex Daniel had left in the corner. She was tired and sore. God, was she shore. It felt like everything inside her had been squeezed or pulled. She shuddered when she realized that was exactly what may really have happened. Use your head, Carter," Sam's voice echoed strangely in the stone room. She hated being alone. At least when she was stranded on the Prometheus people came to visit. True, they were figments of her imagination brought on by a concussion, but still it was company. 

"Okay, what do they want?" Sam was talking out loud to herself. She knew it was ridiculous, but she needed to hear something, even if it was her own voice. The silence was driving her insane. "Why just me? They sent the rest of SG-1 somewhere else, but they kept me here. They had already done something to me when we were first captured. I didn't start out in this room with the rest of my team. Colonel O'Neill said they brought me here later. So what do they want just me?" Sam asked herself.

She needed to rest. She needed to lie down for a while. Sam decided to take off her jacket and crumpled it up behind her head. She wanted to curl up in the dirt and go to sleep, but she was afraid of waking up on that table again, or even worse, of not waking up at all. "If they wanted me dead, they probably would have done it by now." Then again, maybe they want to experiment some more first. Sam said to herself, not wanting to give voice to the thoughts that were beginning to enter her mind.

There were sounds coming from outside her cell. Footsteps! They were coming for her again. "Not this time boys." Carter said as she braced herself against the wall opposite the door. She wasn't going anywhere without a fight. 

One of the creatures entered the cell, cocked its head and stared at her. If it had eyebrows, she swore they would now be raised. It walked toward her, then came to a stop inches from her face. The green skin was a deep emerald green in the fading light of the cell. Its yellow eyes appeared a deep orange. It was taller than her by a few inches, fairly proportional to human physiology, everything but the hands. The hands were huge. The creature raised a hand towards her. One finger was the length of her face. It placed the tip of the finger at the top of her head, and moved it down, tracing an invisible centerline down the length of her body. When it reached her navel, it stopped. Carter fought to control her breathing. "Find out what it wants," she could practically hear Daniel's voice in her head. 

The creature lifted her shirt slightly and knelt down, inspecting her navel. "Guess you weren't invited to the first party," joked Sam nervously. The creature didn't respond. "Can you hear me?" She asked. Again, she received no response from the alien. Sam took a chance and touched the hand that was poking at her stomach. Instantly the creature was on its feet and the hand she touched was pinning her against the wall before she had time to react. "Hey! Whoa, I'm sorry. I-" Sam tried to say. The other hand came up to her head and covered her face. It was then that she smelled it. The fragrance was foreign, yet familiar, and she felt the darkness creeping in. 'Not this time,' thought Carter as she fought hard not to inhale. Her muscles relaxed, she felt herself pool onto the cell floor; felt the creature pick her up, felt herself being carried out of the cell, felt everything, heard everything, but couldn't move. 

"Here we go again." Thought Sam.

* * *

Colonel Jack O'Neill, Teal'c, and Dr. Daniel Jackson came through the gate. Once again descending on the planet O'Neill had called Oz. "You know," Jack said, "I liked this place a whole lot better the first time."

"These are the same conditions we encountered on our previous visit to this planet, O'Neill." Teal'c said in his flat manner. Jack just looked at him. Sometimes Teal'c just didn't get his sarcasm.

"The circumstances were a lot better before, Teal'c," explained Daniel.

"Indeed." Replied Teal'c.

"Let's go boys. Follow the yellow brick road." Jack ordered as he led the way, partially because it was his job to take point and partially because he didn't want his companions to see the concern on his face. 'Like they don't know I'm worried,' he thought. But still, he was a Colonel in the United States Air Force, and he was a guy. Meaning he must remain in control at all times.

* * *

This time Sam was aware of her surroundings. She was back in the lab. Her clothes were being removed; she felt the cold metal of the table against her bareback. She was a prisoner in her own body. Their hands were all over her body. She tried to concentrate so she could remember what was being done to her. There were five sets of hands, one on each leg, on each arm, and one on her stomach. Something cold was placed over her navel. "It's just a belly button," she said to herself. "Get over it." Then came the pain, searing through her abdomen. She screamed silently, tried to fight with arms and legs that wouldn't move. Her breathing had become short and rapid. That got their attention. Sam felt fingers move to her face, probing her nostrils, and then something cold was inserted that caused severe pain. She screamed again, thrashed again. No sound escaped her lips, but this time something moved. Her right arm dropped off the table. She expected them to drug her again. She waited for them to continue doing whatever it was they were going to do, but she didn't feel anything. There was no sound, no movement. She concentrated on breathing, on moving her fingers and toes, on opening her eyes. When she finally managed to get her eyes to focus, the creatures were gone. Carter was once again alone. Slowly and painfully she pulled herself to a sitting position, letting her legs dangle off the edge of the table. She was nauseous, the pain in her stomach was unbearable and her head felt like it was going to explode at any minute. Thankful for her military training, she made herself get up and off the table. She headed immediately to the monitors on the far wall. She had to know what they did.

* * *

"Jack we need a plan." Said Daniel from behind him.

"We have a plan, Daniel. We are going to go in there and get Carter. Then we are going to go back to the gate and go home." Jack replied as if this rescue was going to be that simple.

Daniel continued, "Yes, Jack, that is the plan. But what I mean is we need a plan to execute that plan. We can't just walk in there and walk out with her. We're not even sure where 'there' is."

"DanielJackson is correct, O'Neill. It would be wise to formulate a plan of attack before proceeding." Teal'c added to the inquiry. Jack turned on his heals, staring back at his teammates.

"Look," said O'Neill in anger and frustration. "I don't have a master plan. I don't know how to formulate a master plan. We don't know what we're dealing with or even how many of whatever they are there is. All I know is that they brought us down this road. Therefore, this road goes to wherever they are. And wherever they are is more than likely where Carter is, and that's where we want to be." He turned away from them and continued down the yellow path.

Daniel and Teal'c remained behind a moment. "I think we just met the Wizard," said Daniel as he began to follow.

"Indeed." Agreed Teal'c as he brought up the rear and SG-1 continued on to find and rescue the missing member of their team.

* * *

The monitors refused to operate. Sam touched them all as she had before, but there was no response. "What did you do to me?" She screamed in frustration, grabbing the nearest instrument and smashing the screen before her. Seconds later, Sam realized what she had done, and stood poised ready to attack the creatures that would undoubtedly be attracted by the noise. She waited ready to fight but no one came.

She grabbed her clothes, pulling on her tank top and pants, not bothering with the rest. She did not care if these creatures saw her naked again, but something in her wouldn't let her walk the halls naked. As she clipped her belt, she doubled over in pain. Her navel and the surrounding area were bruised and raw. Steadying her breathing, Sam pulled off the belt and let her pants fall low on her hips; that seemed to ease the pain somewhat, not gone, but better. She rolled up her tank a few inches as well, just to be safe, then made her way out of the lab and back up to the chamber she had found the day before. The corridor had been on the right, she remembered that, but there was a light coming from the left this time. Sam checked her surroundings and slowly made her way into the other room. Her breath caught inside her as she found herself face to face with a Unas. It was in a case of some type, transparent, but more than just glass. She stared at the Unas; its dead eyes stared back. It was perfectly preserved. She turned and saw more cases, many more cases, and couldn't help but feel the hairs standing up on her arms. 

She made her way down the hall. Most of these species in these cases the SGC had never encountered. There was a Jaffa, Ra's by the mark on his forehead. "These creatures must have been doing this for a while," thought Sam. When she reached the last case, she froze. It was empty except for a pair of combat boots, standard issue from the SGC. So this is what they wanted with her: a trophy for their collection. "Well, I've seen enough." Said Carter as she made her way quickly out of the trophy room and back through the main hall. Sam was now at the room she had discovered yesterday. She knew what she wanted from this room, and didn't hesitate as she ripped it from the wall. Sam heard them coming, and she waited patiently. This time she was more than ready for them. It was now or never, if she wanted to get out of here alive.

* * *

"Well that was too easy." said Daniel skeptically as they entered the main hall of the cavern. "Where is everyone?"

"Leave the pessimism to me. Okay, Danny boy?" Jack said with more than enough reasons to be worried. Daniel was right, that was way too easy. "Teal'c, you gettin' anything?"

"Nothing, O'Neill. It does not appear that the creatures are in this dwelling." Answered Teal'c.

"No, they gotta be here. This is where we were, right?" Asked Jack. He knew this was the same place; but still, there was no harm in making sure. He trusted Teal'c's memory a lot more than his own.

"This is indeed the same cavern, O'Neill, but I do not see where the Ozians could be located within it." Replied Teal'c.

"Yeah, well lets keep moving, I see a light up ahead," ordered Jack as he led the way to the lab.

"It appears this equipment was destroyed," observed Teal'c as they entered the lab.

"Ya think?" Said Jack sarcastically from his guard position at the door. "Anything useful over there?"

"Uh, this" said Daniel holding up a Carter's abandoned bra.

"Daniel, put that down!" Ordered Jack a little to harshly.

"Jack, just it's a bra." Said Daniel.

"It's not just a bra, it's Carter's bra. Put it down." Jack reiterated.

"Right," said Daniel as he dropped the clothing back on the counter.

"What else is over there?" asked Jack.

"Um, underwear, socks, a belt, a bunch of alien instruments..." Daniel began to list them all.

"What the hell!" blurted Jack as he turned quickly. Daniel and Teal'c joining him as a blur of green fell from above and landed hard below. "Let's move!"

* * *

Sam felt the energy from the Goa'uld ribbon device run through her. The creatures ran directly at her, not making a sound. She directed the device at them and was able to push them back. It's almost too easy to repel them she was thinking, until she was grabbed from behind. Her arm, with the device, was covered by one huge, green hand. It pulled her backwards by her arm and she heard the bone snap. "Ahh!" Sam cried out in pain. 

There must have been another way in that she hadn't seen when she had searched the room. None of the creatures had gotten past her. They couldn't have. The creature threw her to the floor and she landed hard on her stomach. She cried out again, but this time the sound choked in her throat. The pain was too much; she couldn't breathe. They were coming at here again, making not sound. The yellow eyes now glowing red. She got to her knees, raised her arm as much as she could and with the power of the Goa'uld device managed to send a few more creatures flying over the edge of the cavern. But more kept coming. 

"Carter, get down!" O'Neill's voice came from somewhere behind her, breaking the silence of the attack. Sam reacted before she processed what was going on. She lay on her back, not moving a muscle. Colonel O'Neill, was her only thought. Everything was slowly sinking in. The sound of weapons fire filled the room: P-90s and a staff weapon. SG- 1. She felt a hand on her arm, a regular hand, and managed to turn her head.

"Daniel?" Sam asked not believing her eyes. Her lips moved, but the sound barely came out, and she knew he couldn't have heard her over the weapons fire, but he nodded all the same. Daniel moved his arms under hers, in an effort to pull her out of the way. Her head flung back onto his chest when he grabbed her right arm. Sam screamed in pain. Looking down, he saw that Sam's arm was obviously broken. 

"Geez, Sam." Whispered Daniel. He tried a different approach to lifting her out of harms way, sliding his right arm under her knees and picking her up. She winced again, in pain, as her body folded from being lifted, but there was nothing else he could do. He carried her out of the room and down the hall.

Jack continued firing his weapon, though the creatures were no longer advancing on them. "O'Neill" said Teal'c, grabbing his arm and pushing his gun towards the floor. "We were successful. DanielJackson is in possession of Major Carter."

Jack had just been pulled from a trance. Revenge! That was all he saw. One look at his 2IC, his Carter, and all he wanted to do was hurt these creatures as much as they had hurt her. And he had. The creatures lay in a pile before them. Orange blood, mixed with green skin. Jack looked at Teal'c whose solemn nod told him that the Jaffa understood.

"Let's get outta here." Ordered Jack as he walked out without looking back. He set out to find Daniel and Carter.

* * *

"I can walk, Daniel." Sam insisted. He looked down at her and took in her present physical state. She was breathing hard and he knew her well enough to know she was fighting back tears. "My arms broken, not my legs." She said and even managed a smile. "Besides, I think it'll hurt less if I'm straight." Daniel nodded and lowered her to her feet. She winced at this change in position, leaving her good arm around his shoulders for support.

"Better?" Daniel asked with his voice full of concern.

"Not really." Sam admitted. Her eyes were closed, she was trying, unsuccessfully to steady her breathing.

"What did they do to you?" Asked Daniel. He went to put an arm around her waist to further assist her in walking, but stopped when he noticed her stomach was red and swollen. Something told him he didn't want to know the answer to his question. Sam followed the line of his eyes to her stomach. Then squeezed his shoulder with her good arm to get him to look at her. "I don't know." She answered truthfully. For the first time her voice cracked. It lasted only a second before Major Carter took over for Sam, but it was long enough for Daniel to notice her fear. He resisted the urge to hug her, knowing that there was very few places he could touch without hurting her. He settled at resting his forehead against hers.

"It's over." Daniel said to Sam as Jack and Teal'c came up from behind them. Jack looked at Daniel for some kind of clue to Carter's condition, but Daniel's eyes were locked on hers. Sam nodded against Daniel's forehead and closed her eyes. Somehow she knew it wasn't over and so did Jack.

* * *

Chapter 6

* * *

The newly reunited SG-1 made their way back toward the Stargate: Colonel Jack O'Neill took the lead, followed by Dr. Daniel Jackson supporting Major Samantha Carter. Teal'c, the Jaffa, had their six. They traveled quickly and in total silence. This was definitely in stark contrast to their leisurely stroll and joking banter just days before when they had first arrived on this planet. This time there was nothing to say. The team was whole again, complete again, but one of them was broken and they each felt that strain. "Jack, hold up a minute," Daniel said from behind. Jack turned to see him lowering Sam to the ground. Teal'c quickened his pace to catch up with the others, Jack backtracked, and they all gathered around Sam's hunched form on the ground.

Sam was rocking back and forth on her knees, her injured arm pressed securely to her chest and the other one holding her throbbing head. Teal'c tried to pick her up. She pushed him off. "Carter, what's wrong?" Asked O'Neill, using his best command voice. He was worried about his officer, his friend, but they had to keep moving if they were going to reach the gate before nightfall. Sam didn't respond. "Carter!" O'Neill shouted as he grabbed her arm away from her head, but released it quickly when he saw the look in her eyes. He had seen that look before. If he could admit it to himself, he had even seen it in his own eyes. It was the look of utter terror. 

"They're coming," whispered Sam. "I can hear them. They're chanting again." 

"I do not hear anything, Major Carter. Are you feeling worse?" asked Teal'c.

"What do you mean you don't hear anything?" asked Sam through her tears. She was now crying openly from the pain caused by the noise. She was crying in front of her team, in front of her CO. "When they separated us," she continued between sobs, "I heard that sound. I hear it now. I don't know why the rest of you can't hear it too, but I can hear it loud and clear and it hurts like hell." 

Daniel hadn't moved from his supporting position behind her. "It's possible that they did something to her so that they were able to communicate. Except for the chanting when we were separated, they were always silent, right? So maybe they're telepathic. Maybe they did something to Sam so only she can hear them." Daniel theorized.

"That's what I assumed as well, Colonel." added Carter. She got herself together and got to her feet with Daniel's assistance. "Always the soldier," thought Jack. "This is the first time I remember ever hearing them make a sound since that initial time when we were separated, Sir. You think I'm crazy, don't you?" she asked her team.

"Why would we think that, Carter?" Replied O'Neill, while placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Just because you're hearing voices and all don't mean anything." She smiled and Jack took the opportunity to look into her eyes. The fear was still there. She was trying to hide it, and almost succeeding. But to someone who knew the game of hiding your emotions, her struggle to keep it together was transparent. "Well if they're coming, we should be going. 

"You okay to walk, Carter? Asked O'Neill. Teal'c could carry you, ya know?"

"You would not be a burden, Major Carter," confirmed Teal'c.

"Thank you, Teal'c." said Sam as she nodded her appreciation to the Jaffa. "I'm okay, Sir. If I start slowing you down, you have my permission to drag me if necessary."

"You're granting ME permission, Major?" said O'Neill emphasizing her lower rank, but his voice was so coated in sarcasm that she wasn't offended. She hid her fears through determination; he hid his fears through sarcasm and bad jokes.

They walked for another twenty minutes. The suns were starting to set and Jack was getting worried. They had no defense against these creatures in the dark. "O'Neill," observed Teal'c, breaking Jack's train of thought. "We are nearing the Stargate." The gate was less than a mile ahead; it's form perfectly outlined by the sunset. Under different circumstances, it would have been an once-in-a-lifetime view they would have enjoyed. As things stood now, SG-1 just wanted to go home.

* * *

They didn't make it to the gate before the attack began. The creatures overcame them. It seemed that all the creatures wanted was to get Carter back.

"No!" Screamed Carter as she was violently ripped from Daniel's arms by one of the Ozians. Its hands covered her abdomen and she cried out in pain as it began to drag her towards the trees. The remaining creatures withdrew from the area.

Jack and Teal'c stood, weapons at the ready, but could not get a clear shot. Then suddenly the creature fell forward, landing hard on top of Carter. Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c all shared the same it- wasn't-me look, before running to Carter's side. Teal'c heaved the creature off of her; Jack pulled her to her feet.

"The creature is dead," stated Teal'c as he kicked it just to make sure. There was no blood, no sign of injury. It had just fallen over and died.

"Jack, how-" Daniel began.

"No time Daniel, we've got company." Jack said as he watch the Ozians began to reappear from all sides, coming out of the trees. "Daniel, dial the gate!" 

Daniel did has he was told. Jack had never seen him run so fast. "Let's get out of here!" Ordered O'Neill. He reached out to pull Carter along, only then realizing that he was still holding her arm. She took a few painful steps before her knees buckled. "Whatever that thing just did to her, it must have made it worse," Jack thought. "Teal'c you got-" O'Neill began. But a staff weapon had found its way into his hand and Teal'c was several feet ahead of him, carrying Carter. Jack shook his head, not bothering to process the fact that they themselves had become somewhat telepathic over the years, and took off after Teal'c. Daniel had the gate open and SG-1 jumped through just as the chanting started again. This time they all could hear the ear piercing noise.

* * *

"It's SG-1, sir," announced Walter, the technician, as General Hammond stormed into the control room.

"Open the Iris! Get a medical team down there immediately!" Ordered General Hammond. He didn't bother to stop in the control room. He just headed down the stairs to meet his AWOL team. Daniel entered first, followed by Teal'c who was carrying Carter. She was holding her breath to prevent herself from screaming due to her pain. The trip through the wormhole had left her body feeling like it had been ripped to shreds. O'Neill backed through last, still firing his weapon.

"Shut it down!" yelled General Hammond after SG-1 was through the gate. He started up the ramp, but was nearly knocked over by Dr. Janet Frasier as she ran up to meet the injured team member.

"Sam." Said Dr. Frasier trying to assess her condition. Carter was still in Teal'c's arms, but he stood there patiently as Dr. Frasier began her examination. "Sam, I need you to breathe," She instructed. Carter finally let out the breath she had been holding and the beating of the hearts of all the people in the room stopped as her cries echoed off the concrete walls. Dr. Frasier's eyes grew wide for an instant before the military doctor in her re- emerged. "Where the hell is the gurney!" She shouted. She had run ahead of the medical aides, not even realizing it until they were coming up behind her. "Teal'c get her on the gurney. Colonel, I need to know what happened." Ordered Dr. Frasier as she took over command of the medical emergency. 

She was already half way to the elevator before General Hammond could process what had just happened. He wasn't an idiot. He knew who had the power on the base during any thing medical and when Dr. Frasier said jump everyone did as they were told. General Hammond was no exception as he headed down the corridor, following SG-1 to the infirmary.

* * *

Dr. Frasier had ordered every test in the book, and after a large dose of morphine, Sam submitted willingly to her poking and prodding. General Hammond had retreated to his office, leaving orders to be kept apprised of the situation. Daniel sat in a chair opposite Sam's bed, Teal'c stood next to him, and O'Neill was slouched in the corner. They were all as close to Carter as Dr. Frasier would allow them.

"Well, there's really nothing else we can do at the moment. When the test results come back, we'll have a better idea of what we're dealing with." She addressed the members of SG-1 in doctor mode, and then turned back to Sam. "Unless there's anything else you need to tell me?" she asked them all with a skeptical look.

"Uh, I think that's our cue to leave," said Daniel getting up from his chair.

"Indeed." added Teal'c with a raised eyebrow.

"We're going to get some food and then we'll come back." Daniel said to Sam as he squeezed her ankle, safe territory as far as he knew. "Want some jell-O?"

"Blue Jell-O, DanielJackson," Added Teal'c. Normally Daniel would have laughed at Teal'c's frankness, but he couldn't manage a smile at the moment. Sam hadn't reacted at all to his touch. He wondered if she had heard anything they were saying. He nodded to Janet, whose look told him she shared his concern, and then he and Teal'c headed for the mess. 

"Colonel," Janet said flatly staring at O'Neill with her arms crossed. Waiting for him to acknowledge that she was speaking to him.

"Yeah," Answered O'Neill. It was the first thing he had said since they had entered the infirmary. He spoke to Dr. Frasier but his eyes never moved from his Second In Command.

"Out!" Ordered Dr. Frazier.

"Yeah." He replied again and reluctantly walked out the door. Dr. Frasier shut it behind him, shaking her head in the process.

"That man will be the death of me. I don't know how you-" She was now alone with her friend and could speak as such. She turned back to Sam who had curled in on herself. Sam was now in a protective, fetal position. "Sam?" Janet asked as she a placed gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. "What happened?"

"I don't know, Janet. I keep telling everyone: I don't know!" Sam cried out. She rolled on her other side so her back was to the doctor. She was still fighting off the pain that any movement caused her.

"Sam," Began Janet again. She wasn't deterred. She just sat there, stared at Carter's back, and waited.

"I don't think they raped me, if that's what you want to know." Sam finally said to Janet. She still had her eyes closed, simultaneously trying to remember and forget. "I could feel what they were doing the last time. The times before that I saw what they did on a recording device. They had machines." She was hoping Janet didn't notice her shaking. Then she felt the woman's hand on her back. No such luck that Janet hadn't noticed so she continued. "Somehow they were able to see inside of me without being inside of me." She couldn't see her friend, but she knew she had peaked Janet's interest. "I tried to snag you one of their machines, but I just couldn't manage to escape with it." Sam returned to lying on her back, hoping she had sufficiently changed the subject, but she should have known better. Janet was still staring at her and wanting more details. "It hurt. That's all I know for sure. It just hurt." This Sam could say without a doubt.

Janet nodded and squeezed Sam's hand. "You're home. We'll figure this stuff out. Get some rest."

"Yes, ma'am." Sam smiled and squeezed her friend's hand in return; before closing her eyes and trying to block out the remaining pain that no amount of drugs could touch. 

Janet waited until Sam was resting and then headed for the commissary to talk to the other SG-1 members. There had to be more to this and she was going to get the answers.

* * *

Janet entered the commissary and found the men of SG-1 huddled at a table in the corner. They were deep in conversation. She approached cautiously, hoping to hear something that might help her treat her patient and friend. Daniel was explaining something to Colonel O'Neill. She could see that Daniel was exercising extreme patience. The Colonel seemed to be listening quietly, until his fist slammed down on the table, sending blue Jell-O flying at Teal'c. 

O'Neill just got up and walked away, only stopping when he ran right into Dr. Frasier. "Can I see her?" he blurted out instead of an apology. She nodded but he was already out the door. She took his abandoned chair at the table.

"He's worried," said Daniel, apologizing for his friend's behavior. Janet brushed it off. She knew how much the Colonel cared about his people. 

"How's she doing?" Daniel inquired. 

"Not good," admitted Janet. "I don't know what else to do for her except give her pain meds. I'm still waiting for the test results. They should be back soon."

"Major Carter is very strong. I believe she will make a full recovery," said Teal'c with such sincerity it was hard not to believe him.

* * *

Jack returned to the infirmary to find Carter in morphine induced sleep. He was grateful she was resting, but regretted that he couldn't talk to her. Not that she would necessarily tell him anything new, or anything she hadn't told Dr. Frasier, but still he wanted to offer her the chance. For now, though, he was content to watch her sleep.

He had been sitting there for five hours. Daniel and Teal'c had been in and out offering to take his place. General Hammond stopped by once to tell O'Neill they had no luck contacting the Tok'ra. Dr. Frasier kept poking her head in making sure he wasn't trying to wake Sam. Colonel O'Neill hadn't moved, nor did he have any intention of moving. He sat next to Carter's bed and alternated between fiddling with tongue depressors and rearranging the instruments on Dr. Frasier's table. He was just about to complete a miniature replica of his cabin when Carter starting gasping, trying to breathe. Jack whipped around, demolishing his cabin, and grabbed her hand in an attempt to calm her down. Her eyes were searching wildly for something to focus on, and then she found his face. Her hand squeezed his so tightly his fingers went numb. "Doc!" he yelled, unable to leave Carter's side to get help. "Doc!" Dr. Frasier ran into the room; needle in hand. She expertly emptied the syringe into Sam's IV. The writhing woman began to relax, her breathing slowed, and her hand went lax in O'Neill's. He did not let go.

"I was just about to brief the General on her latest test results. You should come too, Sir," Dr. Frasier said softly. When he made no sign of leaving, she added: "She's going to be out for a while, Sir. I promise we'll be back before she wakes up again." Jack nodded and reluctantly released Carter's hand and followed Dr. Frasier out of the room. 

The two were almost to the briefing room when Walter's voice filled the halls. "Unauthorized Off World Activation." He now had to wait for the incoming travelers to identify themselves before opening the Iris. Jack turned on his heals and headed for the control room. Dr. Frasier was just feet behind him. Daniel, Teal'c and General Hammond joined them immediately. 

"No, IDC, Sir," Walter said, "but we're receiving an audio transmission.

"Let's hear it," said General Hammond. They all shared a horrified look as the chanting of the Ozians blasted through the speakers. 

"Briefing room. Now." Ordered General Hammond.

* * *

Chapter 7

* * *

"Jack, hear me out." Said Daniel Jackson from his usual seat at the briefing room table. Colonel Jack O'Neill paced anxiously back and forth throughout the room refusing to listen.

"No." said Jack harshly as he walked toward the door.

"Colonel O'Neill, you are not dismissed from this briefing!" reprimanded General Hammond. "What were you saying, Dr. Jackson." He continued as O'Neill flopped back into his chair like a child who was made to sit in the corner.

"What if this was somehow a cultural misunderstanding. What if they didn't mean us any-" continued Daniel.

"Are you insane, Daniel? O'Neill shot back. "Have you completely lost your mind? You've been in there. You've seen her. Are you honestly going to tell me that they didn't mean to harm her?" Colonel O'Neill was out of his chair again unable to sit still.

"Yes, Jack, I am." defended Daniel.

"How do you figure, Daniel?" asked Dr. Frasier. "Sam said they experimented on her. Judging from the condition she was in when you brought her back, I don't see how they couldn't have known they were hurting her."

"I know that, but still they're trying to contact us now. Don't we have to respond? Isn't that our duty?" continued Daniel.

"They attacked us first, DanielJackson. We did nothing to provoke them." Teal'c added thoughtfully.

"What if we did?" offered Daniel.

"Daniel!" was all Jack could say as he looked at him. He looked at him like he could have killed Daniel where he sat.

"Colonel." General Hammond's voice had him once again in his seat.

"What if they didn't use a Goa'uld stun grenade on us. If they had, why didn't they use it again when we were attacking them?" continued Daniel.

"How else could they have gotten past Teal'c's watch?" asked General Hammond.

"They drugged Sam with something, right?" Daniel was on a roll now. "When they brought her back to us in the cell, she was out of it. Maybe they used the same thing on Teal'c. We know they can move silently, and the three of us were already asleep. We may never know."

"Like a sedative?" asked Dr. Frasier.

"Exactly," said Daniel. Relieved to finally have someone on his side.

"Okay," Said Jack, rubbing his head. "Okay, they drugged all of us. So what do they want now?"

"Maybe they want to help?" offered Daniel.

"That is unlikely, DanielJackson." answered Teal'c

"Why?" Dr. Frasier asked before Daniel had the chance.

"Why? Said Jack. He was growing tired of the whole theory. "Because they tried to grab her again when we got to the gate. Because they tried to stop us from taking her in the first place. General, I say we send a bomb through to Oz and blow the yellow brick road to dust."

"The Ozian that grabbed her, died, Jack. It just fell over dead." Daniel reminded him.

"Yeah, we caught a break," said Jack sarcastically.

"Maybe that was what happened or maybe something else killed it. Maybe there are Ozians that don't agree with what the others did to Sam." Daniel hypothesized.

"What are you suggesting, Doctor," General Hammond wanted answers.

"We let them through. We try to get them to help Sam." Suggested Daniel.

"No way in hell am I putting her through that again." bellowed O'Neill.

"Sir, we may have to." Dr. Frasier said from across the table. She knew she had no other way of helping Sam.

"Not you too," retorted Jack.

"Sir, I don't trust them anymore than you do, but were out of options." Dr. Frasier tried to explain. She paused and they all knew what her next words would be. "She's dying, Sir. Her internal organs are deteriorating. She's bleeding internally. She's going to die. It's going to be painful. And I can't help her." She spoke with such heartfelt conviction that no one said a word.

"Let them through," ordered General Hammond. These were his final words. He got up and walked into his office. O'Neill stared at Dr. Frasier, she held his gaze, refusing to give in. He knew this was their only option; he just didn't want to admit it.

OoOoOoOo

The Iris was opened and one Ozian came through the gate, holding a radio in his massive hand. "SG-1," it said looking curiously at the armed troops that filled the room. O'Neill, Daniel, and Teal'c approached: Daniel made motions for the creature to follow him, Teal'c had a Zat leveled at its head, and Jack simply followed behind. When they entered the infirmary, they saw Dr. Frasier and a nurse holding Carter down. . She was fighting hard against them. Trying hard to get up.

"Doc?" Asked Jack.

"I can't give her anymore pain medication, Sir." Dr. Frasier was about to go into a medical explanation when she saw the creature enter the room. Her mouth just dropped open.

"Dr. Janet Frasier meet the Jolly Green Giant." introduced O'Neill. He relieved the nurse and held Carter firmly in place with his hands on her shoulders. She was looking frantically from the creature then back to her CO. 

"Daniel has a theory," he said close to her face. Carter nodded, afraid to open her mouth for what may come out. She trusted her team. Daniel's theories usually panned out. Of course they usually didn't involve her life, but still she trusted him and fought back the fear as the creature approached her. It placed a finger over her navel and began tracing the reverse of the line it had followed in the cave. 

O'Neill looked at Carter, who again only nodded at him, but that was enough. He let her go and the finger continued its way up the center of her body to her face. Then its hand covered her, she smelled the now familiar aroma and inhaled deeply, welcoming the painless darkness she had come to expect, but it never came. Instead she heard it speak to her. Not the ear piercing chanting that had been haunting her, but the thoughts of the creature. She laid perfectly still trying to take in everything she was hearing.

"What's it doing, Daniel?" asked Jack.

"I don't know, but I think we should let it do it," answered Daniel. 

Jack grumbled under his breath but didn't openly object. Somehow Carter was calm for the first time in hours and he wasn't going to compromise that. The creature then removed a large round instrument from the box he carried and placed it over Carter's abdomen. It glowed green when it came in contact with her skin. The other hand remained over her face.

Carter couldn't believe what she was hearing. The creature was communicating with her by means of telepathy. He told her that his name is Kad'nerb. His people were once slaves to the Goa'uld many centuries ago, but they had managed to gain freedom through an uprising. Since that time, many of them adopted the behaviors of their oppressors. Kad'nerb, and a few of his followers, sought new ways to live. They did not believe in the 'experimenting" that the some of the others participated in to gain knowledge. He wanted a better, more honorable life for his people. "My God, he's just like Teal'c," thought Sam as she tried desperately to get the attention of the others. 

Her voice was heard, although muffled by the creature's hand. She grabbed at the blankets around her and started to thrash around again. Thinking the creature was hurting her; Teal'c activated his Zat, prepared to fire.

"Hang on, T." They were all surprised to hear Jack's objection.

"Colonel," Dr. Frasier began to object, but she followed O'Neill's gaze instead. The once green device now glowed bright red and Sam's once red abdomen was now it's usual pale white. 

"Yes," said Kad'nerb. "Your friend and I fight for the same cause. We both want freedom for our people." He continued to tell her that her separation from her team had been sabotage on his part. The chanting that they assumed was a war cry was simply a way for Kad'nerb to distinguish those aligned with him from the ones who were not. The others, he explained, never became capable of speech; they thought it unnecessary. He went on to explain that SG-1 had arrived on to the new home world of Kad'nerb's followers, but they had escaped before contact could be made. 

"You are the one who stopped them from taking me when we were trying to escape?" Sam asked the alien. They continued to communicate only in thought.

"Yes," he replied. "My people are linked in many ways. With enough minds we can influence the behavior of another, even their death." Sam was stunned. She didn't know what to think. The creature was helping her, curing her. She could feel it.

Another device was retrieved from the box. The creature then ran it over her arm, revealing the mending bone and the pins that held it together, nodding approval at Dr. Frasier.

"We can help you." Sam said, feeling the device running over her arm. "We can help your people."

"The others will never allow you to return." Kad'nerb replied sadly.

"You can stay here," she pleaded with him. "Let us help you."

"I have done what I came here to do. I cannot leave my people," he said simply and she felt him pull his hand away from her face. 

The creature removed his hand from Carter's face. She tried to force her body up from the bed trying to regain the physical contact they had shared.

O'Neill put his hands back on her shoulders, pushing her down. "Easy, Carter."

"Sir." Said Carter between deep breaths.

"Relax, Major." Said O'Neill from above her.

She tried to explain, tried to get them to stop Kad'nerb from leaving. She knew she could convince them to help the creature that had just saved her life. Sam tried to explain, but she couldn't. She felt the sedative still creeping into her system. She stopped struggling against Jack's arms and fell back on the bed.

The creature again touched her face. "Thank you," she whispered before everything went completely dark. The Ozian nodded in a way that again, reminded them of Teal'c and then turned to leave. The room let out one shared breath that none had realized they were holding as Teal'c followed Kad'nerb all the way to the gate room, still ready to fire if necessary.

Daniel looked from Sam to the departing Ozian. "I should go try to talk -" he said.

"Go," allowed O'Neill as Daniel headed down the hall after Teal'c. Dr. Frasier ordered another round of tests to confirm that Sam really was healed.

* * *

It had been a little over two hours since their alien visitor had come and gone. Carter was starting to wake up. Her head rolling from side to side and she was mumbling something O'Neill couldn't quite make out. As a way of getting her attention he asked, as if nothing had transpired that was out of the ordinary, "So, Carter, what's new?" He then plopped back down in his chair. He hadn't left the room while she slept, but took the opportunity to rebuild his cabin. 

"Where is he?" she asked him, her voice cracking.

"He went home," O'Neill said as he handed her some water.

Carter bolted upright. "Sir, we have to stop him. We can't just-" She started to say, but O'Neill wouldn't let her finish.

"They took you. They hurt you. They came close to killing you. I think helping you was the least the green guys could do. And I personally don't ever want to see them again." Continued O'Neill.

"Sir." Carter tried to speak again.

"Carter, I don't want to hear it." That was all O'Neill had to say on the subject.

"But I killed them, Sir. What if they were trying to help me when I started killing them and I didn't give them a chance?" asked Carter, not to be silenced.

"Get some sleep, Carter. That's an order." O'Neill said as he got up and headed out the door.

"Yes Sir," Was her only response. She knew when not to argue, but she was nowhere near done with this discussion.

"Sleep." He ordered her again.

"Yes, Sir." She had said, but try as she might, sleep did not come. She just lay there in the infirmary, alone with her thoughts. She had killed before: Goa'uld, Jaffa, hell, even humans. After all she was a soldier during the Gulf War. That was years before she took this intergalactic superhero gig. She knew what death looked like and what it felt like to take life. Why then was this time different? 

She tried to remember how things had unfolded up to the point of the last attack. She had heard them coming towards her. She recalled that she had closed her eyes and summoned the will to operate the Goa'uld hand device. 

She opened her eyes and although she was staring at walls of an empty hospital room, she could still see the terror radiating from the eyes of the Ozians. They had feared her. She hadn't noticed it at the time, but they had been terrified of her. She could still see their bright orange blood stains on her arms. Her hand could still feel the energy of the Goa'uld ribbon device that helped throw them to their deaths. Yes, she had killed before, but never like that. Were they Kad'nerb's followers? Had they come to harm her or help her escape? 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Daniel's voice said quietly from the end of her bed. 

She had not heard them come in. So lost in her thoughts and regrets that she didn't notice that they had all sat down. Her guys had come back, all of them. "We couldn't get the alien to talk. It just wanted to go back to Oz," explained Daniel. 

"He let Frasier have the x-ray thingy, though. So you'll have something to play with when you get up and about," added O'Neill.

"You will be reintroduced to a standing position in no time Major Carter," said Teal'c from across the room. They all laughed, all but Sam.

"Back on her feet, Teal'c." O'Neill corrected. "She'll be back on her feet." Teal'c nodded, not understanding the difference in the two phrases, but content with O'Neill's correction.

"They're going to put me on the couch and try to shrink me before they clear me for active duty. That's if they ever do." said Sam. She pulled her knees up to her chest so Daniel would have more room to sit, and thought about how to tell them what she had just experienced.

"They will." said O'Neill flatly. "You'll get through this. Besides I hear Dr. McKenzie's got a new couch since the last time we visited." He expected her to laugh, his sorry attempts at sarcasm always made her smile. But a smile did not come. "Carter, look at me." She shifted to face him, looking defeated but still following orders. "You did what you had to do. You survived on that planet, a lot longer than you should have had to. Carter, you're still alive. Last time I checked that counted for something. O'Neill's voice got louder as he was reminded again of the time lost in her rescue.

"They're not alive," she lamented. "How many of them did I kill before you showed up? How many did you kill after you got me out? They could have been our allies if I had just tried harder to understand them. They could have-"

"Stop right there." O'Neill held his hand up in front of her face, holding up one finger. "First of all, it's we, not just you. Maybe we could have done more. Secondly," he held up another finger, "you had no reason to believe that they weren't going to kill you. We don't even know if the one we shot were the good guys or not."

"That's just it, Sir. We don't know, we'll never know." Now she wanted to tell them everything, about how Kad'nerb had spoke with her, about the struggle of his people, about the separation. With each word spoken, more guilt came. "What I did to them..." Her voice trailed off, and they could hear tears in her voice.

"... was self-preservation." O'Neill finished her sentence. He didn't like where this conversation was going.

They were still staring at her, trying to hear the silent conversation she was having in her head. O'Neill looked into her eyes, trying to read her thoughts, but got nothing from her. It was in that moment he realized, that before she was taken, he would have been able to read her. Before he could see into her soul, not all the way, but enough to know when something was wrong, enough to know whether to hold her, make her laugh, or leave her the hell alone. Now, however, she was completely closed to him. She had barred, locked and sealed herself off. More than anything else he had had to deal with over the past few days, this terrified him the most. They had rescued her body but how much damaged had been done to her soul.

"It was murder. I killed those creatures in cold blood. " Carter's voice faded into the air. "I set off the alarm. I knew they would come. I waited for them and I killed them."

"It was either the creatures or you, Major Carter." Teal'c said trying to help her see the logic of the situation.

"You don't know that. What if someone had gone in and killed innocent Jaffa because they were uninformed, Teal'c?" asked Carter. It was a low blow, she knew that, but if she could only make them understand.

"If I knew that if was not their intention to harm them and simply an act of uninformed negligence, I would not be grieved. You would not have harmed the Ozians if you had been aware of their good intentions or unless it was deemed necessary." Teal'c spoke more words than they were used to hearing from him. He was trying to help, they were all trying, but they didn't understand.

"Also, Sam," added Daniel, "Don't you think Kad'nerb would have told you if those creatures were of his people? If they were his people, they would have tried to communicate with you like he did."

"Maybe," Sam said, not accepting the possibility. "Or maybe he just didn't want me to know."

"Carter," Jack said beginning to lose patience. "You didn't kill the good guys. I did."

"But you did it because of me, Sir." said Carter, quietly. There was no way she was going to let him take all the blame.

"And I would do it again!" Yelled O'Neill as he slammed his hands down on the bedside table. He wanted her to be mad, to punch him, to cry hysterically, hell, to laugh in his face, anything but the blank stare that tortured him. O'Neill had had enough of those expressionless eyes and it was time for action. 

"Daniel, Teal'c, give us a minute will ya?" asked O'Neill.

Daniel got off the bed and stood protectively between Jack and Sam. He knew Jack would never hurt her, but he felt better standing between them all the same. "Jack?" was all he said but it asked many questions. They held each other's gaze for a long while. 

"I believe we should honor his request, DanielJackson," said Teal'c from the doorway. Daniel looked away from Jack and to Sam.

"I'm fine, Daniel." Sam said. Daniel gave one more threatening look to Jack before following Teal'c out. 

"You have something you want to say to me, Sir?" she said with forced annoyance in her voice. She was putting up a good front, but she knew that Jack saw right through it. 

O'Neill grabbed her legs and pulled her halfway off the bed so that she was facing him. He placed his hands on her shoulders to hold her in place. She looked up at him with anger in her eyes. "Ah, anger," thought Jack. "The best mask of them all. She learned that one from me." 

"I probably should have had something profound to say to you before getting into this one-on-one talk," admitted Jack nervously. "So give me a second here." 

He looked at the wall like the right words should be engraved on the concrete. The moment he looked away the shoulders beneath his hands began to shake. In truth, Jack knew that there was nothing he could say to make her feel better. She was right. They had killed them. He had killed them, but he had no way of knowing that their intentions were anything other than to attack them and take back Carter. And he wasn't about to let that happen even if he had to fight all of them single handedly until the whole planet was exterminated.

He looked back at Carter; the false anger was instantly gone from her eyes, replaced with more emotions than he could possibly read in a lifetime. They were alone now and she was letting down the walls she had built up since returning. He knew Carter trusted him with her life, but more importantly she trusted him to respect her: as a soldier, as his Second in Command, as a person, and as her friend.. She didn't have to hide anything from him, she never had. 

Carter knew that he was still looking down at her while still holding onto her shoulders. She could tell that he had stopped looking for words. Words had never been needed between them anyways. They just got in the way. Her eyes said more to him than her voice ever could. She let her head fall against his chest and wrapped her good arm around his waist as she let her body be racked with sobs. Jack pulled her close. All the demons her eyes showed him were vanquished by his arms. "So maybe talking is not so important here," he whispered into her hair. She mumbled something back, but Jack figured it wasn't important enough to pull her away and make her repeat it.

* * *

Kad'nerb walked down the yellow path, away from the gate. Those people could not help, he thought. No one could. The others would continue to hunt, to hurt. He knew when he stepped through the gate that his part in his people's cause would come to an end. Still, he was intent on making that end meaningful. He would destroy the labs, he thought. He would destroy the display rooms. He would destroy it all. 

Kad'nerb never heard them approach. He was lost in reflection thinking about his visit. He didn't see the others approach but he felt their presence focusing on his mind. His last independent thought was of the creatures he had just left behind. Maybe they could have helped him, their minds contained so much.

We are linked in many ways. With enough minds we can influence the behavior of another, even their death.

Kad'nerb was dragged the rest of the way to the caves. Another trophy for their collection.

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

Jack sat at the end of his dock with a beer in his hand, casting a line aimlessly into the water. Daniel was next to him in another chair, Teal'c sat on a cooler. "I'm surprised Sam didn't come along this time," said Daniel. "It was three weeks before Janet would released her from the infirmary. I'm surprised she didn't tie herself to the back of your truck just to get away."

"Yes. Well, you know Carter and her doohickeys," said Jack. "She and Frasier probably got that new x-ray thing implemented in every hospital in the world by now."

"Actually, Sir, we couldn't get it to work." Said the familiar voice from behind the three men.

Jack spun around, dousing Daniel with beer. "Carter!" He exclaimed and walked off the dock to greet her. Her broken arm was still wrapped up, but the cast was off and she had a duffel bag flung over her shoulder. "Nice of you to join us, Major."

"I figured it was time to see what all the fuss was about. Besides we're on down time until I can lift my gun," she smiled, waving her bandaged arm.

"It is good to see you, Major Carter." said Teal'c as he got off the cooler and handed her a soda.

"You keep diet pop in your beer cooler, Sir?" asked Sam, smiling.

"Yeah, well, ya never know who might show up. I'm always prepared." Said O'Neill with a sly grin.

"Sam," said Daniel as he got up offering her his chair. "How did you get here?"

"I rode my bike." She said as she sat down in Daniel's chair and opened her soda.

Daniel spit beer. "You what! He said questioning her sanity. "You have a broken arm and you rode your bike from Colorado Springs?"

Sam was laughing hysterically. "Relax, Daniel. I took a plane. Think I can get a ride home?"

Daniel shook his head and moved to throw her in the pond. 

"Daniel," Jack interrupted, "she's a lot faster than you. I wouldn't try it."

"Indeed, it would not be wise," said Teal'c as he resumed his seat on the cooler. Sam gave Daniel her bring-it-on look. He wisely took a seat next to Teal'c. Sam looked disappointed.

"So, no new miraculous alien technology?" asked O'Neill as he sat back down next to Carter.

"No, Sir," Carter went on to explain. "We're still going to work on it, but it's more than likely only the Ozians can control it. It seems to operate much like the Goa'uld devices." Daniel nodded in agreement. Jack tried not to roll his eyes. Techno talk was not allowed at the cabin, but this was Carter's first trip, he would cut her some slack. "We tried dialing P4X-985 but -"

"What!" Yelled O'Neill as he slammed down his beer and glared at her.

"But," she added quickly, "the gate wouldn't connect. The Ozians must have disabled the gate on the other side." They would never know how relieved she had been when the seventh chevron wouldn't lock. It was finally over.

"Good." said Jack effectively ending this discussion. He waited for Carter to argue but she didn't. 

"This is really great, Sir." said Carter as she relaxed into the chair and looked out over the water.

"Major," said Jack handing her a fishing pole.

Yes, sir?" she answered a little afraid of what he might say next.

"We have rules here," began O'Neill. Daniel rolled his eyes and Teal'c just sighed. They had both heard this speech before. Jack ignored them.

"Of course, Sir." agreed Sam. Trying not to laugh at the reactions of Daniel and Teal'c.

"Rule number one," O'Neill paused for dramatic emphasis. "No techno babble. Rule number two: no talk of aliens."

"What about Teal'c," Daniel interrupted.

"There is an exception made for Teal'c," continued O'Neill, "but only Teal'c. Failure to strictly adhere to these rules will result in a dunking in the pond."

"Yes, Sir." laughed Sam, no longer able to keep it in.

"Rule number three," O'Neill went on.

"There is no rule number three, O'Neill." Teal'c reminded him.

"Carter gets a special rule number three, T. Is that okay?" said O'Neill, threatening the Jaffa with his fishing pole. Teal'c nodded in approval.

"Sir?" Sam was curious as to why she needed special rules.

"Lose the 'Sir', Sam." Jack said, emphasizing her first name.

"Yes, Sir." she said automatically. As soon as she realized it was out of her mouth she began apologizing and holding up her injured arm in protest. Jack might have considered sparing her, but it was too late. Teal'c had her out of the chair and suspended in his arms over the edge of the dock before anyone had a chance to think. "Teal'c!" Sam tried to protest, but she was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe. She never thought the Jaffa would take part in something so childish until he had dropped her and she had floated back up to the surface of the pond.

"You okay?" asked Daniel, reaching down to offer his hand to help her out of the water.

"Fine," she said, taking his hand. "But Daniel..." She began.

"Yeah, Sam?" he said as he started to pull her out.

"You really should take Jack's advice more often." She emphasized the 'Jack' as she winked at her CO. Daniel found himself instantly in the pond with her.

* * *

Later that night the four friends sat around the campfire, roasting hotdogs. "This is so much better than MREs," said Daniel as he finished his third dog.

"Do you guys think we'll ever find Oz again?" asked Sam.

"Sure we will." said Jack confidently as he passed out another round of beers. "The universe is pretty big, right Sam?" She nodded, refraining from anything that would be considered techno babble. "So the odds are that one day we're gonna come across another planet with a yellow brick road."

"Maybe we'll even find the Emerald City," added Daniel. Jack nodded appreciation at Daniel's enthusiasm.

Sam sighed, smiled, and raised her beer. "To Oz," she said. There was never a more appropriate toast.

~The End~


End file.
